Loose-leaf-suspending file



March-27, 1928.

e. sTEmMETz LOOSE LEAF SUSPENDING FILE 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed May 27.1926 PatentediMar. 27, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,663,617 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORG STEINMETZ, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

LOOSE-LEAF-SUSPENDING FILE.

Application filed May 27, 1926, Serial No. 112,076, and. in GermanyOctober 19, 1925.

,This invention relates to a device for suspending loose folded sheetsinterchangeably in vertical files andit is one of the objects of theinvention to provide a suspension file of is this character which shallbe simple and effective in use and to which index matter forregistrationpurposes can easily be applied so as to be easily accessibleunder any circumstances.

The essential feature of the invention consists in that the sheets to besuspended are bent over at one edgev and. introduced with their foldedmargins into a jaw formed by .a bent-over portion of a back plate,against which they are firmly pressed by means of a front plate, rail,or some other rigid memher. The whole arrangement may be bodilysuspended, and the arrangement of the clamping device'is such that itwill grip the sheets with greater force the heavler. the

pile of the suspended sheets is. The clampmg device and the suspensionmeans may be integral with each other, or -separate as desired. A

The preferably reinforced ledge formed by the turned-over portion of theback plate enables a 'secure holdof the suspended sheets over the entirelength of the back plate.

The visible top surface of the led e on the back plate is preferablyrovide with a suitab e space for the app ication of. index matter forregistration purposes which is of particular advantage as each of theseledges is easily observable on'account of its :5 slanted arrangement'aswill be more fully described. In the drawings several modifications ofthe invention are illustratedby way of ex ample; a

Fig. 1 shows the device as used with a spring clip serving as a clampingmember and suspension for the sheets to be suspended. 1

Fig. 2 is a vertical section therethrough.

Fi 3 illustrates the arrangement of a loose y applied counter-pressuremember.

Fig. 4 illustrates the use ofa scissorsshaped clamp serving at" the sametime as a sus ension member.

ing a bent-over edge to serve .as clamping member.

Figs. 6 to 10 represent several modifications in -which plamcounter-pressure mem- 5 bers are employed.-

lteferri g fifi t t0 the modifications shown ig. 5 shows a looselyinserted plate have in Figs. 1 to 5, a denominates the back plate of thecover plate I) which is contained within the ledge a need only bereinforced over that portion. of its length which is in engagement withthe clamping device, which is done by a strip 9 similarly disposed as isstrip w. The provision of the member I) with a metallic strip serves theparticular purpose of enabling the said member better to resist thepressure exerted bythe clamp ing device and to reduce the friction whichis entailed by the free ends of the resilient clips engaging therewith.The sheets to be filed away in the device are likewise bent over at oneedge and'inserted between the back plate a and the cover plate 6, withtheir folded margins between the ledges a and 6 respectively.

In the devices shown (except Fig. 3) the I arrangement of the clampingdevices is such that their pressureincreases in direct proportion to theincrease of the weight of the suspended sheets. Thus thegrip exerted bythe clamps will be all the firmer the heavier the weight of thesuspended sheets becomes.

In the arrangement according to Figs; 1 and 2 the clip which forms theclamping device is bent from a continuous wire or the like and may haveany convenient shape.

-The example'of Fig. *1 illustrates a shape of the clip which has provedto be of particular advantage for'comparatively broad suspending devicesand which is attached. to the device at three neutral points, that is tosay at points at which-the spring clipexercises no clamping action. Arivet at c is used to attach the clip at its centre to the back late a,while rivets at d serve to fasten the c ip at two points to the membera.

Hooks e formedof the same length of wire with the cli proper are used assuspension means for t e entire device, while the free ends of the clipare coiled into the she e of a spiral and sprung under the ledge of thecover plate or strip 6, where it preferably rests against the metallicreinforcm strip arranged at thatplaca. The ends are 0 set as shown inFig. 2 so as to prevent their lying against the front of the ledge a andavoid undue friction upon same. Apart from the reduction of the frictionenabled by the provision of the metallic reinforcing strip this way ofoffsetting the ends of the spring clip ensures the said ends alwaystaking their most effective positions due to their form and theirresiliency in action.

According to the modification shown in Fig. 3 hook members it are fixedto the back plate a at it, to which hooks the spiralshapcd clips 70 aredisplaceably attached as by means of rings or eyelets i. In order tohold the sheets to be suspended the spiral ends of the said cliparesprung under the ledge Z) of .the cover plate I).

The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 illustrates a scissors-like clampingdevice, having one of its legs attached to the back plate a while theother leg on is tnrnable about the pivot n and adapted to grip with itshookshaped en'd' under the fold b of the cover plate I). The clampingaction of the free end can be made to act either in the direction of thestrip or ledge a, i. e. in.-the plane of the sheets, or at, right anglesthereto. Rings or eyes n atthe' upper ends of the clip serve to suspendthe entire device together with the sheets secured thereby.

In the arrangement according to Fig. 5 the clamping action is obtainedby a plate 0 of which the lower edge is bent over and caused to gripunder the ledge b. The said plate 0 is displaceable in relation toanother plate '0' which is attached to the back plate a and to which itmay be secured by means of a thumb screw p. The device may besuspendedyby means of a hook 9 attached to either o'fthe said plates.

The peculiar arrangement of the suspending devices described with theirslanted and externally visible ledges a, admirably lends itself to theapplication of index matter indicating the contents of each of thefiles. It is evident thatthe slanted arrangement of these ledges, whichcan clearly-be observed in Fig.2, renders each of them easily visibleevelrwhen'a'larger number of the files are arranged one after the other.

In the modifications illustrated in Figs. 6

to 10 no bent-over cover plates are employed,

and any other type member may beused to 'press the loosely insertedfolded sheets against the reinforced ledge of the back plate a, such asa flat bar, or the like.

Fig. 6, for instance, shows the simple arrangement of suspending eyeletsr secured to the back plate, by riveting or the like, by means of whichthe device may be hung up, while a flat bar or plate 8 is used firmly toI press the sheets against the ledge a. In this operative position thesaid bar 8 is fastened to the ledge a as by means of spring clips t orthe like. The spring clips teach comprise be inovably fixed with one ofits ends to the back a as by means of a chain, a cord, links, or anyother suitable means as indicated at s in Fig. 7 for example, so thatonly the other free end need be locked when in use.

As an alternative the flat rail or bar may be made of two parts as shownin Fig. 8, and each part may be secured to the back (L at its outer endin a manner similar to that referred to in connection with Fig. 7, inwhich case the locking means must be arranged at the centre at which theinner ends of the bar meet or overlap.

A further alternative is the combination of the suspension means withthe clamping member as indicated in Fig. 9 for example, in Which a kindof lazy tongs arrangen'ient is employed. The suspension levers w areprovided with hooked ends we and are pivoted at 00. These lever-s are inconnection, as by means of links 1 with a centrally pivoted pair ofdouble books 2 adapted to engage with one of their hooked ends over thetop of the ledge a and with their other end under the lower edge ofsame, or against any other member used for the purpose.

Fig. 10 illustrates an arrangement in which the suspension means in theshape of eyelets 21 are fixed to the cover plate a. Resilient holdingmembers 41 are likewise fixed to the said plate a and adapted to passaround the ledge (4. These members '0 keep the sheets and the entiredevice together and prevent the bar 8 from slipping out of the fold awhen taking the entire device down from its supports.

What I claim is:-

1. In a loose leaf vertical file for suspending'folded-ovcr sheets, aback plate, a bentover top ledge forming part of the back plate, a coverplate, clamping means to-press one of the said plates against the other,and suspension means to suspend the device cooperating with at least oneof the said plates.

2. In a loose leaf vertical file for suspending folded-over sheets, aback plate, a bentover top ledge forming part of the said back plate, acover plate, a bent-over top ledge I resilient clamping means to pressthe cover said plates.

plate ledge into firm-contact with the back plate ledge, and suspensionmeans for the device cooperating with at least one of the 4. In a looseleaf vertical file for suspending sheets, a back plate, a bent-over topledge to the back plate, a counter-pressure member to be received withinthe fold of the back plate ledge, resilient clamping means attached tothe back plateand acting upon the counter-pressure member, andsuspension means for the device, said clamping and suspendingmeans'forming one continuous part. In a loose leaf vertical filefor'suspend- I i-ng sheets, a back plate, a bent-over top ledge to theback plate, a counter-pressure member to be received within the fold ofthe back plate ledge, resilient clamping means attached to the backplate and acting upon the counter-pressure member, and suspension. meansfor the device, said clamping v and suspenslon means formmg onecont1nu--- ous part and attached to the back plate at certain of itspoints at which no pressing action is exerted.

6. In a device for vertically suspending loose sheets, a back platehaving a bent-over top ledge, a counter-pressure member to be receivedwithin the bent-over ledge, a resili; ent clip fastened to the backplate and having its free ends arranged to grip under the bent-over topledge and acting upon the counter-pressure member to thereby exert apressure against the said ledge, and suspension means to suspend theentire device and to cooperate with the clip whereby the action of thesaid resilient clip is such that the clamping increases with the weightof the sheets suspended.

' 7 .In a device for vertically suspending loose sheets, a back platehaving a top ledge bent over from the back at an inclination thereto, acover plate, said top ledge adapted to receive index matter, means forclamping the sheets to be filed, within the bentover top ledge betweenthe plates, and means cooperating with one of said plates to bod-' ilysuspend the entire device.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature.

,GEORG STEINMETZ.

